$250 for a palliative care/hospice visit which includes an assessment, discussion of possible medications and aids to improve quality of life, and follow up discussions.

Memorializing your pet is one way to help with grieving their loss. There are many ways to memorialize your pet, we have listed a few below.

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• Included in our in-home euthanasia fee is a keepsake clay pawprint and ink paw prints made onto card stock paper.

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• At an owner’s request we can also clip locks of fur or make a nose print. Please let us know if you would like these at your appointment.

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• We now offer creation of digital images of paw prints or nose prints. We use a photo of the paw or nose to create this image which will then be sent to you as a jpg or pdf or other format you desire.  Owners often use these images to create keepsake jewelry or artwork.  The images can be placed onto jewelry, clothing, etched onto glass, and more.  If you would like this add-on service please let us know at your appointment. The fee is $10 per image.

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• The digital image or inked paw print can be used by talented tattoo artists to commemorate your pet’s memory in the form of a tattoo.

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• For owners choosing a home burial, a special favorite spot the pet enjoyed may be chosen for the burial. A bench of flower garden may be planted nearby to make a spot where an owner can sit and remember their beloved pet. Special decorative grave markers can be purchased or could be made as a family using a kit such as these: https://www.amazon.com/Milestones-Mosaic-Stepping-Stone-12-Inch/dp/B00000ISAH/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=stepping+stone+kit&qid=1674592326&sr=8-8 . Making a stepping stone to mark the site can be a way for children to feel involved in the memorialization of a pet.

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• Owners choosing to have a pet cremated can choose a special urn (you can see options Butler Funeral Home offers at: https://peturncatalog.com/62703/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=51ac2sg0soandc72j9m11gb594 or you can have urns custom made by artists found on sites like www.etsy.com).

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• Some owners may wish to spread their pet’s cremains (cremated remains) in a location that had special meaning for their pet

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• Some owners will bury cremains in their yard and place a commemorative stone over the site. There is also a product that can be placed in the ground that allows a pet’s urn to be moved in case a family moves away. This can be found at https://efhomeniche.com/ .

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• Artwork such as glass sculptures (similar to paperweights or ornaments) can incorporate a pet’s cremains and be displayed in the home. A local artist shop, Prairie Fire Glass, creates this type of memorial.  More information on their shop can be found at https://prairiefireglass.com/pages/spirit-glass 

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• Jewelry or other commemorative pieces can be made from cremains, locks of your pet’s fur, or paw or nose prints.  Local Springfield artist Rachel Lauer Thomas makes a variety of keepsake jewelry. You can visit her website at www.rltjewelry.com.

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• A lock of your pet’s hair can be saved to be used in jewelry, placed in a shadow box or a memory book or other commemorative item.

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• Creating a shadow box is another activity that can be done as a family to include children. Shadow boxes can be found at craft stores such as Michaels and online.  These could include photos of a pet as well as a lock of hair, a paw print, a collar or tags, a favorite toy or piece of a favorite blanket.

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• A decorative planter can be made using a pet’s food or water bowl, placing the pet’s collar around the bowl to display it.

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• Artwork can be commissioned of your pet, or you can use a website such as www.pawss.store  to have digital artwork created for you from photos.

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• Creating a photo book or photo album is a great way to include children in memorializing your pet. Finding photos to include and incorporating stories or favorite memories of your pet or a drawing your child makes of your pet can help them with the grieving process.

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• A time capsule is another way that children (or adults) can help commemorate a pet.  This time capsule could include photos of a pet, items associated with the pet like toys or collars, poems or stories or drawings, or a letter written to the pet.

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• Making a donation to an organization that benefits animals in your pet’s memory is another way to memorialize your pet.  This could be a donation to a local organization such as the Animal Protective League or a national organization such as the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, or a donation to your veterinary office’s “Angel Fund” which helps pets whose owners are having trouble affording care. 

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• Have a “celebration of life” with family or friends. At the celebration you can display photos of your pet, items your pet loved, share stories or poetry. Wish paper such as this: https://www.flyingwishpaper.com/ can be used to write a message or thought about the beloved pet. The paper is then lit and floats up into the air as it burns (a more environmentally friendly alternative to a balloon release).

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• Companies such as Cuddle Clones (www.cuddleclones.com) can make custom stuffed animals that look identical to your pet using photographs you provide.

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• Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss Deck: This is another tool that can be helpful in the grieving process and memorialization. This consists of a deck of cards with beautiful illustrations as well as ideas of actions or thoughtful and comforting reminders and affirmations.  You can see an example of the deck at https://rainbowbridgedeck.com/ and the deck is available for sale at The Cardologist in Springfield Illinois.   

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These are just a few ideas for memorialization. If you have a specific company you have used for a memorial you would like to share, please let us know.